We’ve Got The World Cup In Our Hands…

Yee ha! We won. And what a game, to see Gilly make 149 of something like 104 balls was absolutely amazing. And the chant of We've got the World Cup in our Hands ... started well before the game was finished. We knew we had it and we were celebrating. Actually the final ball took a long time coming, and it was actually tossed down by Roy in the dark, which was all very confusing but we didn't care. The cup was ours for a third time in a row and We were the Champions. When the first light was called and the boys thought they had the cup punter erupted in mass excitment and started running (or rather sprinting) around and then grabbed one of the players and started hugging, then there was a mass hug. I don't think I have ever seen punter show so much emotion. Then it turned funny and they had to go back and bowl 2 more overs so Pup and Roy did the job and there was another celebration. Merve put it well, where else could you see two world cup victories in 30 minutes, normally you have to wait 4 years. I am not sure what the papers have been saying back home, but over here we all felt very privileged to be part of the most amazing world cup final you will ever see. And for that matter never see again.

But I digress slightly because I haven't detailed the 4th beach cricket test in Dominica. We were all set for a big day as we docked only to once again have rain. But in true Aussie spirit we headed out to find a beach. That in itself proved to be a bit of an effort but finally after a very exciting bus trip along narrow, windy potholed roads we arrived at the islands only beach resort. The man at the dock had rang ahead to alert the resort that we were coming, since they are normally closed on Friday's, when they go to the farm. Obviously what we think of a resort and what is classed as a resort in the Caribbean is something totally different because we arrived at a black sand beach with a run down shack on the edge of it and the place was completely deserted. Then after a while a few people rocked up and opened the shack and served us some beer. Very funny day and one of those things you just had to experience, almost impossible to explain. But the beers flowed cold, there was fried chicken (or course) and we played cricket all day and mixed with the locals who were mostly just lounging around stoned out of there brains. One Aussie guy was there and he was so off his tree we couldn't even understand most of what he was saying. What we did get was he rents a tin shed on the beach for $1000 per year and just hangs around getting smashed all day every day. That was very funny!!!

We tried to get Kerry O'Keeffe to come with us to the beach cricket but he had just partaken in his annual exercise. He had donned his running shorts and a sports shirt, backpack with cut lunch and a water bottle, then headed down to the end of the pier and back (280m). When we saw him he was sweaty and heading to the bar for another Heineken saying " My Body is my Temple". A very funny man!

So it was in the early hours of a Saturday morning that we all arrived in Barbados and commenced our cueing for passports in preparation for the big day. The weather didn't look to bad early but by the time we cleared the boat (after an inspiring briefing from tour hosts Merve and Kerry) the heavens opened up and we got drenched on our walk to the ground. Myself and Hubbard elected to cab it for $3 US rather than get wet, but it didn't help because we then got we cueing to get into the ground. Merve and Kerry had their predictions and as usual Merve sat on the fence (we hounded him for a few errors in the first cruise so he was a bit hesitant to make any stands) However Merve, like he had said in every previous match briefing that Gilly had one big innings in him for this world cup and he had him for Man of the Match. Go Merve you legend! So after being totally pumped it was a bit of a downer with the rain delay, but the beers were flowing and it was not to long until we were under way with a 38 over match. And not too long after that we were treated to one of the best spectacles of one day batting you would ever get to see. I think it was 8 sixes and god knows how many 4's from the Man and the sixes were not just clearing the rope, they were cracked into the second tier of the stands all over the ground. Unfortunately we didn't get a catch attempt but it was close.

So it was that we had the cup and the party's were many and hard and it was generally huge. And it was with headaches that we all slowly limped into Lobster Alive for the 5th and final beach cricket. However it all failed miserably when we realised that the stupid saffa's left the gear in Dominica. It was ok though because we had the ball so we just pelted that around while drinking beer in the waves and generally recovering.

That night was an even bigger party with the ship's second pub crawl and this time there was 60 of us. I can't really tell you too much just that I was chained to Gino all night, we drank some farily horrible stuff, we were in team 17 and we won the games, we stole a bra, we danced, I sprained my ankle and we all woke up with horrible hangovers. The photo's done by Hubbard are an absolute scream and I will put them in the Gallary.

Well here I am in Miami in transit to LA and heading home from the trip of a life time. It has been huge, I have met some great people and I hope we all keep in touch. I hope you have enjoyed my scrawlings and I hope we can all do it again some time.

Have fun and catch you all later

Shaz

The Final’s Cruise

Well I apologise for the lack of any post’s lately but I managed to avoid the cold that was going around for the entire first cruise but came down with it hard on this trip. Well I am blaming the cold and not the 10am happy hour at the cricket in Grenada. Yes can you believe it there was a happy hour at 10am and how can you not drink solidly when you can buy 2 beers for $3. Any self respecting Aussie just can’t pass up a chance like that. Anyway back to the posts, I have put on 2 today so make sure you read all the way down.

Well a lot has happened since the start of this cruise and unfortunately it is almost over. We absolutely slammed the kiwi’s at Grenada (and we were in full voice thanks to the happy hour) and the celebrations in the rum/beer houses along the sides of the grenada streets were huge. Then it was back to the ship for a big one, unfortunately I noticed a sore throat during the celebrations which I thought was from yelling but it was the dreaded lurgy. So it was to bed for me for a couple of days and I missed Lara’s last game. Gave my ticket to a local waiter and he had a ball at the game (even though the WI lost) it was a great one and the stadium was packed.

Our free day on Tortola was great, when we arrived it was a bit overcast but we had set the challenge for the second beach cricket test match so we headed over the mountain to cane garden bay for a day of what we thought would be sun and surf. The trip over in the taxi was an absolute laugh since gino shit himself with the tiny steep winding road. The taxi man had to pump the breaks on the way down so they didn’t glaze too much but they still stunk like hell. But that was nothing compared to the trip home (but that in a bit). The cricket was huge, pub on the edge of the beach provided the pavilion and everyone headed to the deep (water fielding). It was all going well till the lunch break when we were rained out. So we set to drinking the bar dry. It was at this stage the boys got a little toey so what else would a pack of Aussies do but a Nudey run. So three brave men headed out the back an then erupted onto the beach as the rain was bucketing down for a beach sprint (apparently it was quite cold, or at least that was there excuse). The bar ladies started to squeal in excitement and the pavilion crowd erupted in applause. So we hit the taxi’s home while it was still raining and the flood was starting. We all crammed in a Toyota Hiace (didn’t now you could fit that many in) and bottoming out we headed up the mountain. Gino was freaking, he had his head out the window trying to use his nostrils as air breaks but it wasn’t working. Hubbard had hold of his pants so he wouldn’t jump out. Some one yelled toughen up and someone else commented that he must have balls the size of sucked tick tacs but it was unquestionably the funniest 30 minutes of my life. We sung world cup victory songs and hung shit on gino the whole way.

But back to the cricket, we had made the first semi final and we were to do battle with the South Africans at St Lucia on ANZAC day and we had tickets. It was an early start with the dawn service at 5am and then we had to get organised because this time we were tendering assure in small boats. The scene was set, as the sun rose on the 25^th April we boarded our boats in the hundreds and we hit the beaches that were lined with rugged hills. They knew we were coming but they had no idea how many and we were to fight to the death but this time it was the SA not the Turks. No wonder the Proteas collapse in a screaming heap, they had no hope on such a memorable day with inspiration pouring out of our Aussie hero’s. But we did take some casualties and they fell to the usual rum punch or similar cocktail as we sat sweltering in the sun for was seemed like an 8 hour sauna. But we prevailed and partied as would be expected by the Aussie masses. In fact we partied so hard that they ran out of beer at the ground so we hit the pubs and they ran out there so the boys headed on a beer crawl and that is where I lost them. Hubbard even indulged herself in a cold one for the first time since 1989. What a day we had, and there was even a game of two up in the back stands. A perfect day!!!

The next day we were all a bit slow back to shore for a leisurely trip around St Lucia, and what an island. Very beautiful, and we even got to drive into a volcano (very cool). Gino of course did not make it ashore, mainly due to his hasty proposal for a local girl the night before and the planned marriage in the park the next day. Weak Gino weak!!

We are now all waiting for the big game. Hope I get sober enough to make a final post before we head back, but there is another pub crawl planned the night after so not sure. Make sure you check out the gallery of photos as I have added a heap more.

Cheers – Shaz

PS – The new best beer is Piton from St Lucia

The Highlights of the Super 8’s

Well before we start the finals cruise, and with the leaving of all but 20 of us, I thought that I would summarise the highlights. Which on the surface seems like a good idea but when I now get down to it the whole thing has been a highlight.

I suppose it has to start with the lost luggage. I suppose many people would have panicked, but not us Aussies, we just headed to the nearest bar and started the celebrations. That night turned out to be a sensation (which by the way has turned out to be the word of the trip) with long island ice tea’s, trany’s with great tits, a lost credit card and the chunder of the century.

Other highlights have to include: South Africa getting beaten by the Bango’s, Droopy getting sea sick and being a Bust of Barry, Buckets of Beer at the pool deck, Home made lime (rum) punch in Dominica, Reidy snoring through Merve’s briefing, Reidy being decorated with furniture and a cone at 3am on the pool deck, Old mate asleep on a grave, The boys erupting into a corus of Row Row Row your boat at Antigua when Freddy came down to field near us, The commentary team at Kensington Oval (yes boys the microphones were on you idiots), Tony drinking (or being force fed by his brother) JW Black through a witches hat(cone), Drinking 8 rums in an hour then sleep walking around the ship in your jocks with your shorts in your hand, Razor falling for Merve’s coin on the head cone down the pants trick (nice wet crutch mate) funny thing was he got 2 more that night, Luke Flying his Aussie flag on the ships main flag pole all night (Aussie, Aussie, Aussie – Oy Oy Oy) and last but not least the first ever and no doubt the last Galaxy Ship pub crawl – Go boys and luckily, no the entertainment manager Jody didn’t get the sack.

No summary is complete with out the best of’s and here they are:

Best Beer: Definitely Banks (Tony would argue that it should be Red Stripe but his opinion doesn’t count because he drinks XXXX)

Best Cocktail: Indians with extra mango, although I prefer the pineapple (Bombay Safire Gin with stuff)

Best Spew: Filling the Miami hotel foyer with a power chunder takes it but a close second was the dual effort out the back of the boat when we were fishing.

Best Cricket Ground: Antigua for the best position to stand and drink beer in the shade and still watch the cricket.

Best Beach: Very hard they are all so good, the one with the Boat Shack and Lobster Alive at Barbados was pretty good. But I think that the best was Pelican Point at Tobago where we played beach cricket. That was a post card!

Best Day: Definitely fishing then a day at the Beach and Lobster Alive with Reidy and Bourney.

Best Island: Very Very Hard, but I think it was Dominica

Best Win: Ireland over the Bango’s (Who would have thought)

Best Loss: South Africa loosing to the Bango’s

Best Waiter: Gede (pronounced Gidday) he looks just like Tattoo off Danger Island (Banana Splits)

Best Drinker: Gino wins this hands down. No-one can even get close. The man gets a bill summary every day and his last weeks bill was the size of a telephone number.

Best Hair: I think Gino wins this again for his braids and managing to put up with them for so long. Good luck getting back into Saudi with those mate.

Best Fish: Mine (Sorry to rub it in Droopy but you busted yours off, it was much bigger but if it’s not in the boat it doesn’t count).

Best Rum: God knows what it is called but it is 75% proof and they free pour it. How can you possibly remember anything after a few of them.

Best Injury: Has to be the knock to the head with the cricket taken by Mark Waugh’s luv child when keeping to Paul who was trying a reverse sweep. 4 stitches later he was back in the bar.

Moto of the Trip: AST World Cup Cricket Tour West Indies 2007 – Don’t Miss The Boat.

Well we are off now on the finals cruise, it was sad goodbye’s on the dock to the boys and myself, Razor, Gino and the Brothers were left to hold up the Aussie bar and induct the new comers. So we headed off to Lobster Alive for a nice day at the beach before heading back to meet the new crew.

Shaz

The Last Days/Nights of Super 8’s Cruise

Well this is the last post of the Super 8’s Cruise and it is with much sadness that most of the Boys will be heading off. However there is a lot of happiness as well at having met some great blokes.

I should go back a few days and fill you in on some cricket, since that was the idea of this blog in the first place.

The Australia vs Sri Lanka match was awaited with much anticipation by all, as it was thought to be the first match to really push the Aussies. None of us were confident of the outcome and as such there was a packed house for Merve’s morning briefing where we heard that we should look out form Vaas and Murili, because if they have good games we may struggle and also that the toss was crucial. So we headed off once again to the Grenada National Stadium but on arrival quickly learnt that the Sri Lankan’s were resting all their best bowlers for some strange reason. So in the end it was another walk in the park for the Aussies, but it was a great Aussie crowd in full voice and a good day was had by all. Since it was all over a little early we headed back to our now local the “House of Lords” for a quick drink of some of the local beers and generally soaked up the Caribbean atmosphere.

The next day it was back in Barbados and we were hoping for a better showing from the Pommes this time and that they would kick some South African Butt, especially because the SA’s on the boat were really loud and really annoying. However it wasn’t to be, the pommes display was absolutely dismal. They won the toss and we thought we were in for a good game, but the pommes chose poorly and elected to bat and the ball was moving and bouncing everywhere and after a short time and 155 rd in typical pomme manner they came out defeated and bowled tripe to smith. As you can imagine he tonked them all over the park and it was great to watch. Unfortunately we then had to put up with the South African’s, but the partyuns it was practically over. An was good. We went straight to the party stand after being enticed by some very good looking local girls and then kicked back to our local last drink before the ship, where there were about 100 South Africans in full voice.

Well that was our last game of cricket for the Super 8’s and it was off to Tabago for some R&R in the sun. The challenge was set the night before in the bar and it was to be the Aussies vs the S.A’s on the beach for cricket. As it turned out though it was a slog fest hitting the ball out into the water and laughing at the Indians drop catches. “ Sledge then sledged them by saying for all the millions of indian’s there are that love cricket we get the couple how can’t catch a cricket ball” Very funny

Anyway we had a lovely day swiming with the fish and checking out the coral on a glass bottom boat. Tobago is one of the best islands we have been to, up there with Dominica.

So that was it, we were at our last night on the cruise and the boys were set for a big one, infact Jody the entertainment girl had organised a pub crawl and the boys were set for it after the free AST drinks in the back bar. When I left the boys were in full voice and it looked like a heap of fun. Anyway they were all prety sick this morning when heading off the boat for the trip home. But also in a good mood for their big night in LA tonight.

Well I am off now so Cheers - Shaz

The Fishing Trip

Well where are we, I have finally come out of the daze of alcohol to make another post. This one is about the best day of the trip to date.

It actually started the day/night before when we all decided to have a quiet night before heading out for a big fishing trip with Merve, where we were intending to scare the absolute crap out of all the bill fish in Barbados. Lots of talk anyway. Merve had organised a 7am briefing so we could hit the ground running and everyone was prepared. Also to set the scene you need to know that Droopy is a mad keen fisherman, so keen in fact that he purchased a rod, reel, line and lure here in Barbados for the sole intention of fishing off the back of the cruise ship. Whether he actually succeeded in this legend status feat has yet to be substantiated. So here we are set and relaxed so we head off to the cricket in Grenada the day before and the boys were so relaxed they actually slept at the cricket (see photo). Unfortunately it went down hill after lunch, so down hill that chucky re-invigorated his name by drinking 8 rum punches in an hour and then rocking up for the local happy hour for some more. So it was an early morning with many seedy faces that headed out to face the large confused swells of Barbados. I think myself and Bourny were the only ones not extruding rum out our pours.

As you can imagine it wasn’t long before some boys turned very green and we were burlying up with avengence. Well I don’t think that I have laughed so much in years. But the funnies part was Droopy, how after telling the man “We are all fishermen Here” when he was trying to explain how the system worked he then proceeded to loose his entire stomach over the back of the boat. But it gets better because he then jumped on the first hit we got, grabed the rod, forgot to strike, lost his footing, let the rod tip drop and it was all over and he had a new nick name “Bust off Barry”. So he dropped his head in shame and went and slept in the cabin with Paul and Merve, who were feeling equally sick.

Anyway it was a great trip for those of us who weren’t sick, we caught 2 fish (Sledge got a barracouta and I got a Wahoo) and we kicked back in the beautiful weather drinking beers and having a wow of a time. Myself and Reidy amused ourselves, when we weren’t catching fish, by telling vomit stories to Sledge to try and get him to spew as well. He was very green and nearly went a couple of times, but he lasted our tag team onslaught.

So after the fishing trip from Hell (good hell for us that were not sick and bad hell for those who paid $60US to spew there ring out or lay down in the cabin for the trip). There was only myself, Reidy and Bourny left to kick on, so it was off to the beach from an absolutely awesome afternoon of Beer, Spicy Margaritas, sun, sand, surf and lobster with a local Jazz band playing in the background. I thought that I had died and gone to heaven.

Well that’s it for this post, don’t forget to check out the photo album, there was a small incident with it and all the photos got their order muddled, that’s what happens when you do a blog while drinking Gin and Tonic (And yes Jo it was Tanqueray). Anyway I have given each photo a caption so you can understand what is happening.

Cheers – Shaz

Check out the latest photos

Hi All,

I have just updated the photos and put captions to them all so check it out. There is a link at the top of the page to the left

Cheers
Shaz

Grenada, Barbados & Day at Sea

Well it has been a few days since my last post, and My God what a few days. There is one minor problem, the days have blurred into one and I can’t seem to remember what or when things happened.

It all started with the West Indies Vs South Africa match, which was well anticipated amount us cricket tragic’s since it was our first (and some only) change to see the West Indies play at home. We were all anticipating a huge day of drums and a general West Indies fun crowd. However we were all a bit worried at the same time after the Richie Richardson briefing where he indicated that politics has badly affected the WI’s ability to put on a party at the game for us. With the $100US per ticket cost and practically a full cavity search at the gate had caused a lot of locals to be pushed away. And unfortunately he was not too far from the mark, the WI home support crowd was very small, however us Aussies made up for it in full voice.

The Grenada home ground was lovely, there is a picture of it here, many of the locals sat up on the hill bank and watched from some distance, which was pretty cool. On the way to the ground we passed the “house of lords”, also very funny see picture.

It was then off to Barbados to see the Bango’s thrash the Pommes. Well the pommes won but not convincingly by any means. A few of the boys took the opportunity after lunch to wander around Barbados. After having Sledges shoe blow out fixed by Freddy and smiley (see picture) they found the boat shed which was beer, beach and music. Needless to say they were in full voice on return to the ship. Talking about full voice though before they left the ground they snuck into the press box (see picture) and sledge was mucking around with the microphones giving a post match brief, the funniest thing is that when they left they were informed by a large local security guard that the microphone was turned on and the had piped out to the entire stand. Maybe that was another reason that they left early.

Well the next day cruising all day was much fun at the pool bar (now renamed to the Aussie bar). There was a pole competition that you hit each other with pillows till one falls off. Funnies thing was droopy fell in before he even got git. But it was a Aussie vs South Africa final and thanks to gilly we were victorious and celebrated well. Reidy went so well that the sun turned him into a racoon. Our waiter at the Aussie bar is Gede but he says it as gidday and he looks like tattoo off danger island (you know banana splits). Anyway he is a legend and there is a photo of him in the GALLERY.

Well the next post will be for the big match of Australia vs Ireland, which is also much anticipated but mainly for the party with the Irish.

Will catch you all again soon from the Caribbean Party - Shaz